


A paper airplane away

by Melilossa



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gift Fic, How Do I Tag, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Secret Friend Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 06:51:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12293643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melilossa/pseuds/Melilossa
Summary: Robbie sometimes removes his makeup and it does things to a certain elf.





	A paper airplane away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Talax](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talax/gifts).



> Happy Secret Friend Day :D ! I got a very good friend of mine, Talax, and it was hard to not tell him about it :'3 Hope you enjoy this Frank~
> 
> P.S. This got out of hand lmao

The sun had barely started warming the earth when Sportacus woke up to the sound of his crystal.

Breathing hard and stumbling out of bed, he mumbled his usual "Someone's in trouble" and ran through the door of his airship, telescope in hand. Who could be in danger this early?

The air was cold and damp and he shivered despite his vest and long trousers.

He was glad he slept in his usual outfit. No time wasted putting it on.

Sportacus looked around the town through his telescope and frowned. The kids weren't in the playground. In fact, he couldn't see any of the inhabitants around. No one was awake yet. Everything was calm, quiet.

The vibrant colors on his chest, and the insistent noise reaching his ears, told him otherwise.

He closed his eyes and let his mind reach inside the crystal. An image formed in his head, of purple clothes left in a heap on white tiles. The familiar scent of sugar and oil reached his nostrils.

Robbie.

Sportacus jumped down from his airship with one of his backflips, landing perfectly on the ground, and took off towards the not-so-villain's not-so-secret lair.

After four years in LazyTown, a lot of things had changed from when he first arrived. Robbie had become somewhat of a friend for Sportacus and the other inhabitants. He sometimes still complained about the noise, and the overall energy present in the town, but he also played and sang and danced with all of them. More than before, that is. The kids would invite him to their birthdays, and he would bring them gifts and cookies. Sportacus would talk about missing his home, and the next day Robert Robertson, Icelandic tourist, would be walking down the street.

Going around the billboard, the hero dropped down the chute and, feet barely touching the ground and crystal still beeping, made his way to the bathroom.

At least, Sportacus assumed it was the bathroom. Steam was slowly making its way out from under the door, and he could make out water running inside as well as Robbie softly singing.

He knocked and the humming stopped.

"Robbie, are you alright?"

"Sportacus," he heard a frantic voice on the other side of the door, "what are you doing in my house?!"

He was about to explain himself, how his crystal told him he was in danger and he came as fast as he could, when he heard a shriek. Rushing in, he found Robbie on the ground, naked and holding his elbow close to his chest.

"Look away, Sportastare!"

Sportacus turned around, fumbled with a pile of towels and threw one behind him, hearing an 'umph'.

"You're hurt," he stated and frowned. "What happened? My crystal alerted me, but... Apparently I am too late." He looked down at his now silent crystal, as if expecting an answer.

Robbie grumbled a bit before saying: "I tried getting out of the shower and I slipped. You scared the crap out of me, but that's nothing new, now is it?"

Sportacus heard some shuffling and turned around to find the villain standing on his feet, towel wrapped around his hips and elbow still clutched in his hand.

Oh...

This was surprising. But then again, everything about Robbie Rotten was.

Weirdly, when Sportacus turned around, he was expecting the usual sight of the tenth villain in the world. Well, minus the clothes.

Yet where there once was purple eyeshadow, there was now only skin. His eyebrows were less sharp, he didn't look like he was frowning all the time. Instead of a pompadour, small brown curls now crowned Robbie's head. The skin, normally hidden under his clothes, was pale, or at least paler than what he expected. He wasn't hunching on himself like he often did. His limbs looked delicate, long and smooth, flushed red from the shower. A plump, warm belly was half-hidden beneath the towel.

Where before stood the self-proclaimed laziest, do-no-goodest person in LazyTown, was a character Sportacus had never expected.

Robbie looked tired, and entirely different from his usual loud self. Smaller, maybe, or softer. Sportacus felt a surge of protectiveness for his poor, sleep-deprived friend.

"Earth to Sportaflop," he heard and snapped his gaze back to Robbie. "Do towels have the same weird effect on you as sugar or what?"

Sportacus cleared his throat.

"How is your elbow?"

"Not good." He made a face. "I might lose my arm."

Rolling his eyes at that, the hero stepped forward and gently grabbed him by the hand and shoulder. He moved the arm a bit, made the elbow fold and unfold, and said:

"It might leave a bruise, but you'll live. This is why we ask people not to run next to a swimming pool. You should leave a small towel on the ground for when you get out next time."

"Great, you're the one who made me fall, yet I'm the one getting scolded?" He raised his voice incredulously.

"I'm simply giving you advice, Robbie! I'm sorry if I scared you. I don't understand why my crystal beeped. The danger it warned me about was caused by me in the first place..."

"It's too late at night to talk about paradoxes."

A fond smile tugged at Sportacus' lips. "It's seven in the morning."

"I know that," Robbie stuttered out. "Give me my arm back, I need to get dressed."

Sportacus did so and went into the main room of the lair, waiting patiently for the other to be back to his usual self.

He frowned. Will he put his makeup on? What about the gel?

Robbie was handsome, he couldn't deny that. He spent so many times holding him, looking into his face, it was hard to ignore it. Yet seeing him so natural, so different, left him stunned.

It made him look fragile, to put it that way. Without his outer shell, his protections.

Hearing the door open and close behind him, Sportacus turned around.

And breathed a sigh of relief.

Robbie stood in the doorway, arms crossed and shoulders hunched, his striped suit put on. He had left his hair undone, and his face unpainted. Probably so Sportacus wouldn't be left alone in his lair for too long.

He felt an urge to hug him and never let go.

"There, I'm presentable now. More or less. So, Sportarude, are you going to stand there all night or can I finally sleep?"

Refraining from correcting him about the time once more, he simply shrugged. "My crystal stopped freaking out a while ago. I don't think you're in any danger. I, uhm... Yeah, nothing's keeping me here."

Move, he tried to tell himself. Go back to your airship. Let him get some rest, why can't your feet just move?

Robbie sighed, making his way around him and sitting in his chair. "What is it, now?"

"Y-You look very... I mean, I like... You're different."

"And how am I different?"

"Well, you're not wearing your makeup, and... The bags under your eyes--"

The villain scoffed. "I know, I'm tired. Thanks for pointing it out."

Why couldn't the thoughts in his brain turn into words on his tongue? He wanted to tell Robbie how beautiful he looked, how Sportacus wanted to care for him and hide him from any evil the world could throw at them.

Most of these thoughts weren't new. After all, feelings did not bloom so quickly. He had known for quite some time the warmth in his heart was love. But seeing his friend in a different setting, seeing a secret part of him he hadn't expected, made it hard to ignore.

"I was just wondering if you slept well." That's not what I wanted to say I mean I do care and I want to know but I can't bring myself to tell you--

"Well," Robbie started, "not really. I'm always tired but I never sleep enough. I get woken up by the kids during the day, or by... nightmares."

Sportacus slowly walked up to his side, his brow furrowed with worry. "Nightmares?"

"Yes. Sometimes, I just," he hesitated. "We've known each other for some time. And, uhm, we've become quite close, I know that." He stayed silent for a while, staring at his feet. "Sometimes, I dream it's all a lie. That I'm alone, and no one likes me, and I just-- maybe I'm just a mean person who doesn't deserve to be your..."

Robbie started breathing heavily, and Sportacus felt his heart break.

"Robbie," he said, crouching down so he could see his face. "You're not a bad person. And you have friends. You are smart. Determined. Everyone knows how kind you are, even when you pretend you're heartless. We love you, Robbie."

I love you.

The villain sniffled. "I know that. The nightmares just seem so real..."

Sportacus took his hand. "I'm here for you. And if you ever wake up feeling scared or worried, I am one paper airplane away!" He smiled encouragingly.

Robbie let out a chuckle, and wiped his face briefly. He took a deep breath, eyes closed.

The hero felt his heartbeat quicken. His friend smiling was always so beautiful. In this moment, as silence filled the lair, he looked peaceful.

"Thank you, Sportacus." He squeezed his hand. "Could you... stay for a bit? Until I fall asleep."

"Of course."

Sportacus sat quietly at his friend's feet, talking about what he planned to do that day, and how Robbie could join whenever he woke up. About dreams, ideas, stories... He kept his voice low and gentle, sometimes humming a few notes between conversations. Robbie dozed off after a while, still clutching his hand.

When he left, the hero felt strangely awake. A soft rain had started, and each drop on his skin made him shiver. He somersaulted away, thinking about the warmth in his chest and on his cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> each comment makes my day a little brighter!


End file.
